Metro Briefs

January 26, 2006|STAFF REPORTS

WAKARUSA

Woman dies in hospital after crash

An Elkhart woman died Tuesday from injuries suffered in a car accident. Police say Ean Hearington, 30, was driving a van west on County Road 30, east of County Road 3, about 5 p.m. when she failed to stop at a stop sign and drove into the path of Clell Rowe of Claypool, Ind. Rowe was driving south on County Road 3 and struck Hearington's vehicle on the right side, sending it through a fence at the intersection's southwest corner. Hearington was unconscious when she was taken to Elkhart General Hospital, where she later died. "She made it to surgery," said Elkhart County Deputy Coroner Mike Compton, "but expired shortly after." An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday. ELKHART

Works board demotes, suspends officer

The Board of Public Works voted Tuesday to demote Elkhart police officer Brett Coppins from his rank of detective to corporal. He also will be suspended for five days without pay. The vote came after five charges, ranging from neglect of duty to insubordination, were brought against Coppins during a six-hour finding-of-fact hearing Jan. 10. The finding-of-fact document states Coppins blamed a divorce and a strained relationship with his children as the cause for his neglect of duty. The document further indicates, "The Board unequivocally rejects the use by any officer of divorce or family problems as an acceptable excuse to lower the standards of conduct for officers of the Elkhart Police Department." The board's decision will go into effect immediately.

Prosecutor announces bid for re-election

Elkhart County Prosecuting Attorney Curtis Hill filed papers Tuesday with the secretary of state's office announcing that he will run for re-election. In 2002, Hill campaigned on a 12-point plan to restructure the prosecuting attorney's office, including the transition from a part-time to a full-time office with centralized services and training.